


Love is Thicker Than Blood

by gray_autumn_sky



Series: Set in Storybrooke, Canon Divergent [20]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-13 18:33:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15370776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gray_autumn_sky/pseuds/gray_autumn_sky
Summary: Regina officially adopts Roland. Dimples Queen Fluff, with just a dash of angst when Regina admits her guilt over what happened to Marian.





	Love is Thicker Than Blood

A shard of light stretches into the room and Regina lifts her head from the pillow to see Roland’s dimpled grin peeking into the room. “Daddy? Regina?” He calls in a small voice, that’s just barely a whisper. “Are you guys awake?”

Regina pulls herself up so that she can better see him. “What’s the matter, sweetie?”

He shifts tentatively in the doorway, “I can’t sleep.”

With a warm smile, she pulls back the covers and pats the empty space beside her, her smile widening as he pads toward her and climbs into the bed, immediately snuggling close to her. She sweeps his shaggy curls from his forehead and kisses him. Though Roland has no memory of leaving Storybrooke or the months he spent in New York, she does—and she missed the little moments like this, when he cuddles up to her and lets her hold him, when his small fingers clutch at the fabric of her shirt, when his cheek presses against her chest, when she can hug him close and he soaks up her affection.

“Did you have a nightmare?”

“No. I didn’t fall asleep.”

“So, no monsters I have to go chance away?” She glances down at him, “One fireball could take care of it.”

Roland giggles, “No.”

“Do you miss your bed at the camp?”

“No,” he says easily. “I like it here.” His eyes turn upward and he smiles, “I have my own bed and lots of soft pillows and a nightlight so I don’t get scared. And my room looks into the backyard, and there’s a bunny that lives back there in the bushes. I named him Bob.” He pauses. “I really like it here.”

“Well, I like having you here,” she tells him, as she squeezes him a little closer to her. “Spending time with you is one of the best parts of my day.”

Roland nods, “It’s kind of like we’re a family—daddy and Henry and me and you.”

“I like to think so.”

“It’s kind of like…” The boy stops, his voice trailing off.

Regina peers down at him, “It’s kind of like what?”

She feels him take a deep breath and slowly exhale it—and it makes her smile. “It’s kind of like you’re my mom.”

“Oh,” she murmurs, as her breath catches in her throat. “Yeah, it kind of is.”

“I don’t remember my mom,” he admits quietly. “Everyone tells me stories about her, but I don’t remember her.” He looks up at her. “Did you know her?”

Again, her breath catches and suddenly, it’s difficult to look at him. She thinks of Marian in the Enchanted Forest—how she’d taunted her, paraded her around as an example of what would happen to anyone who defied an order from the Evil Queen; she remembers the fear in Marian’s eyes, how she pleaded and begged for help and she remembers the her blood boiled when Marian told her that she pitied her. She feels the familiar feeling of self-loathing beginning to rise in her gut, twisting and turning and taking her breath away.

“I…met her once, but I didn’t know her.”

Roland doesn’t seem to notice the change in her breathing, not aware of how shallow it’s become or how her heartbeat’s slowed. “We have that in common,” he says, nuzzles closer.

“Yeah…” She feels a lump rise in her throat, and she pushes it down and tries to do the same for the painful memories that taunt her.

“Do you think we can go to the grocery store tomorrow?”

Despite the ache in her chest, she smiles, “The grocery store?”

“Yeah,” Roland says, a hint of a yawn creeping into his voice. “I want to get some carrots for Bob.”

Laughing softly, she kisses the top of his head, “Yeah. We can do that tomorrow.”

“Do you think he’d like other things?” Roland asks, his voice growing softer, more distant.

“Maybe,” she tells him. “We can look up what rabbits like to eat before we go.”

There’s a long pause before Roland makes a reply, and when he does, his voice is even quieter, “Mmm, that’s a good idea. We should do that.”

Her palm remains pressed against his back, soothingly and rhythmically rubbing circles as he drifted to sleep and she drifted further and further into her thoughts.

But she couldn’t drift too far, unable to lose herself in the cruel, callous memory of her one interaction with the boy’s mother. She feels Robin pressing against her back, his hand on her forearm and his chin against her shoulder. “It wasn’t your fault,” he whispers.

“Wasn’t it?”

“Regina,” he says with a sigh, “One could describe your reign in a hundred negative ways, but no one could ever say that you were unclear.” He pauses, taking a breath. “I knew the rules of the game I played, the game Marian willingly went along with because she married me. To make a long story short, Snow White was accused of something I’d done—I didn’t think it mattered, the list of her crimes was a mile long and I figured one more wouldn’t change anything. I wasn’t going to give myself up. Marian disagreed.”

She turns her head to look at him and she can feel hot tears brimming in her eyes.

“I left—I left her in your kingdom while I went off on some quest that I’d convinced myself was important, all the while knowing she’d feel the need to make amends with Snow White, and if she had the chance she would. I knew it and I still left her there. She was caught, and…you know the rest.” His whisper is hoarse, and he stops, taking a breath. “I knew her well enough to know what she’d do as soon as an opportunity presented itself, and I knew what the consequence would be and I still left—and that is entirely my fault, not yours.”

Swallowing hard, she turns her head on her pillow, looking down at the small boy cuddled against her, sleeping soundly with a soft smile on his face. “Was he with her?” Her voice is barely audible as she asks, and she holds her breath awaiting his reply.

He hesitates and again the heavy lump rises in the back of her throat. “He doesn’t remember it.” At that the tears begin to fall, and Robin pulls himself even closer. He presses his lips against her shoulder. “I know that you’d never hurt him. I know that you love him. And you’ve given him something so incredible, something I never thought he’d have again—you’ve given him a mother’s love.”

Again, she swallows, pressing her eyes shut and forcing the tears from their corners. “I do love him.”

“I know you do—but more importantly, he knows that you do.” He places a soft kiss on the nape of her neck. “And he loves you, too, Regina. He loves you so much.”

She nods, glancing down at Roland as he sleeps in her arms, still clutching at her pajamas and still smiling contently, “I know he does.”

“Then that’s all that matters.”

___

She arrives at the elementary school with a furrowed brow and a quick step, as she makes her way toward the main office after receiving a phone call at her office informing her that Roland was sick and needed to be picked up.

“Ah, Mayor Mills,” the secretary says, picking up the phone. “I’ll call down to the classroom and let Roland’s teacher know that you’re here.” She nods toward a row of chairs across from the table, “Have a seat. It’ll take a few minutes for him to gather his things.”

“Thank you,” she says with a small smile, glancing back over her shoulder at the chairs, as she lingers at the counter. When they enrolled Roland in school, they’d listed Robin as the primary contact and Regina as the secondary.So, presumably, they should have called Robin before her, and though she’s not at all bothered that they called her, after everything she and Robin have been through, she can’t help but worry.

“I…I’m sorry,” she begins hesitantly, waiting for the secretary to look up at her. “I’m just wondering, did Roland’s father not answer when you called?”

To her relief, the secretary smiles, “Oh, we didn’t call him. Roland asked us to call you.” She smiles gently, “He said he wanted his mom.”

She nods and takes a seat, feeling her heart flutter and smile stretching across her lips. She keeps a vigilant eye on the door and stands when she she’s Roland trudging forward as he rubs his ear.

“Oh, my sweet boy,” she says, stooping in front of him to help him button his quilted jacket. “What’s the matter, love?”

“My ear hurts,” he tells her, pouting as his jaw trembles.

She stands and takes his hand, promising to make it better with popsicles and a movie and some cuddles. On the way home, she calls Dr. Whale and arranges a house call, promising that with a little medicine and some popsicles and cuddling, he’ll be good as new before he knows it.

Dr. Whale is at the house when they arrive, diagnosing an ear infection and offering to call in a script. Regina rolls her eyes and with a flick of her wrist, the prescription sits in her palm. Roland’s eyes light up as she shows it to him, and she murmurs a quick thank you as the doctor leaves. She helps Roland change into his pajamas, and sends him downstairs to choose a movie while she heats some oil to drop into his ear.

They cuddle up together on the couch with Roland’s head propped up on a pillow on her lap, and that’s where Robin finds them a few hours later.

“Despicable Me,” he notes with a grin as he sinks down beside her. “I should have known.”

“It’s his favorite and he’s been miserable all afternoon.” Regina grins, “And… I like it, too.”

“I only saw your call a few minutes ago, on my way home. I’m sorry I didn’t answer,” he tells her. “And I’m sorry that you had to take the afternoon off because of it.”

She smiles warmly down at Roland, “I don’t mind.”

“Yeah, but my schedule is much easier to clear than yours. Didn’t you have a Council meeting?”

“That can be rescheduled,” she says dismissively, as she runs her fingers through Roland’s messy curls. “Besides, he asked for me.” She glances up at Robin. “He asked the school secretary to call me because he wanted…his mom.”

Robin stares at her for a moment, an indiscernible look on his face that causes her heartbeat to quicken. “Regina,” he begins, taking a long breath. “Why don’t we…make it official?”

“Official…” she repeats as Robin nods. “What…exactly are you suggesting?”

A slow grin etches across his face, “I’m not proposing—not yet. I just…”

“Yet?” Her eyebrows arch. “So, you’re planning to…”

“Perhaps.” His grin deepens and his hand slides over hers. “I, uh…may have a little something in the works.”

“Do you?” she asks, feeling her cheeks flush a bit.

“Yes, but right now, what I’m suggesting is that maybe we should consider the possibility of you adopting Roland.” He pauses and looks down at his son who looks so content with her. “Regina, if something ever happened to me, even if we were married, there’s no guarantee that he’d get to stay with you—and that just doesn’t seem fair. To you or to him.”

She tries to reply, but her voice catches in her throat and a dull ache resonates at her core, “He…already has a mother.”

“Had,” Robin corrects. “He had a mother—and Marian was a wonderful mother to him, but Roland doesn’t remember that. He doesn’t remember her—he never knew her. But he knows you and he loves you—and you have also been a wonderful mother to him.” He smiles and looks down at Roland. “You comfort him with he’s sick or scared; you are the one who reads with him every night and you’re the one who has watched Despicable Me thirty-seven times because it’s his favorite.”

She grins, “Thirty eight. We watched it twice today.”

He laughs, “You see? Why not make it official?”

“You’re…sure? You want me to adopt him?”

“I do,” he tells her, giving her hand a light squeeze. “But more importantly, he does.”

___

It’s a bright Saturday afternoon and the light is streaming through the open window—and it’s a beautiful day, she thinks as she smiles at Henry and Roland who are sprawled out on the floor in the family room playing a video game. She grins back at Robin before clearing her throat, smiling as the boys turn to face them.

“Can you pause that?” She asks, glancing toward Henry, “Just for a few minutes.”

Henry nods and looks between them. “What’s up?”

“We actually need to talk to Roland about something,” Regina begins, smiling tentatively—suddenly somewhat nervous as Roland turns to face her.

“Me?” Roland asks, looking between them, watching as Regina opens a big, yellow envelope. “What’s that?”

“Come here and sit with us,” Robin says and he and Regina sit down on the couch. He settles Roland between them.

“Is that a letter?” The boy asks curiously.

“Kind of,” Regina tells him as she smiles at the document.

“Can I read it?” Roland asks, grinning widely. “I’m getting pretty good. I’m in the blue reading group at school—and that’s the best one.”

Regina laughs, glancing between Robin and Henry, “Yeah, go ahead. Try to read it.”

Henry moves closer and his eyes meet Robin’s, “Is that…?” Robin nods and Regina watches a smile forms on Henry’s lips.

Roland’s brow furrows as he concentrates on the words. “State of…Maine. Cer-tif-i-cate…of…” He catches his bottom lip as he looks at the last word and struggles to sound it out, “A…dop…tion.” He looks up. “Adoption?”

“Do you know that means?” Regina asks gently as she places a hand on his arm.

Roland shakes his head, “No.”

“Well,” Regina begins, “It means that…I am officially, legally, one-hundred-percent certainly…your mom.” She exhales the breath she barely realized she was holding and smiles. “And that can never, ever change.”

His smile is bright and instant, “Really!?”

“Really,” Regina says with a nod.

“So, I get to call you ‘mom’ and everything!?”

“Yeah,” Regina confirms with a nod, “If you want to.”

“I want to,” Roland decides, as he flings himself into Regina’s arms.

“I love you, my sweet boy,” she breathes, as she hugs him close to her, watching as Robin and Henry exchange smiles.

“I love you, too…Mom,” Roland says, testing out the new name as he hugs her tighter, nuzzling his cheek against her shoulder. She kisses the top of his head and her fingers tangle in his messy curls as she feels a heavy lump forming at the back of her throat, and she doesn’t bother to even try to stop her tears, thinking of all the happy memories this boy—her son—has given her, and all the happy memories they’ve yet to create together.


End file.
